Matching Wounds
by badwolfoswin
Summary: After getting her revenge on Nick, both roommates are left with painful bruises with just once ice pack to share between them. The night will be an eventful one as Nick battles with resisting admitting his feelings towards Jess. Set during and after the Halloween episode.
1. Revenge

**Hello! Anyone who has talked to me about New Girl will know that I am a HUGE Jess Nick shipper and so I thought I would attempt to conjure up a fic. This is the first fic I've ever written and I actually haven't written anything creatively in several years so forgive me if it does not meet your usual standards. I hope to improve the more I write. Anyway, enjoy!**

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**Chapter 1: Revenge**

Generally, Nick Miller hated getting into fights. Sure, he may have been dragged into the odd bar fight every now and then; he is a bartender after all and sometimes those things just couldn't be helped. But as far as he was concerned, that thick, glossy slab of wood that separated him from all the nut jobs, alcoholics and aggressive trouble makers that dragged their way into that place was there for a reason. His job ended with the handing over of a drink and shouldn't entail anything extra. Unfortunately for Nick, that kind of attitude would get him fired; the bar would look like the target of an apocalypse if he didn't force himself to break up the brawls that occurred way too often.

Nick never thought the day would come that he punched a girl. Especially if that girl was Jessica Day.

Of course, at the time he thought he was defending himself against a 'terrifying monster' but as soon as his adrenalin subsided and the realisation hit that it had in fact been her, his cute and completely harmless roommate and best friend, Nick had never felt guiltier in his entire life. Neither had he ever felt so scared. Yes, the thought that he may have badly hurt Jess,(and judging from the amount of times he had accidentally knocked someone out in the bar, that could have been easily done),terrified him more than any manic laughing clown in a haunted house could do, even if the pitch and volume of his screams suggested otherwise. If this had been any girl, he still would have felt awful. But it was Jess.

That night, Nick rested an icepack on her throbbing cheek which was starting to gain a purple hue to it. He felt like it was the least that he could do. Not only because he owed her big time, probably for the rest of his life, but also because she had just been rejected by that tree sized jerk of a man, Sam. As soon as Jess announced that the two of them weren't serious and that it was 'casual', Nick knew that it would end badly. Not necessarily in tears. But badly. Jess could say all she wanted about wanting to be good at casual sex, but none of that would matter. She was completely kidding herself.

After living with her for several weeks, Nick began to understand that Jess was not the type of girl that you could just fool around with and not feel guilty about it the next day;she was the type of girl who you talked to, hung out with, took home to your parents and married. At first, he assumed he felt this way because of her sunny and innocent attire. She always looked approachable. Innocent. Pretty, he thought. However, over time things started to change for Nick. Now, he didn't just look at her in the morning thinking 'wow that dress is too yellow for a time this early in the day', he looked at her and instantly woke up. It was almost a reflex action. In fact, Schmidt and Winston were beginning to question why he had a goofy grin on his face even several minutes after Jess left for school. She had a scary effect on him and in a lot of ways, he hated it. He thought of her as one of his best friends. The kind that you would want for life. Not the kind of friend you form a crush on, start dating, break up with and never talk to again. But then again, he hadn't felt this way in a very long time. In fact, he may have_ never_ felt like this. As much as he adored Jess, Nick knew that he could never say anything, not even to the guys. Not only were they friends, but they also lived together. If Nick told Jess and she didn't take it well, he didn't think he could stand her leaving. Having her in his life was good enough for him. He just despised seeing her upset. Especially if it was caused by another guy.

Watching Jess next to him while he held the ice against her cheek, it was easy to see that she wasn't her usual perky self.  
Nevertheless, Nick needed to say it,

"I know I said you shouldn't put yourself out there. But I'm glad you did. You should be with someone who's crazy about you Jess". It was so tempting to add '...like me' but Nick knew that would lead him into very deep and dangerous waters. With a slightly heavy head, Jess turned exposing the damage that Nick had left and tiredly spoke,  
"Thanks Nick. That would be really nice if it wasn't coming from someone who just punched me in the face". That was something else that he liked about her. Even in the worst of situations, Jess still managed to be adorably witty. Nevertheless, Nick continued to express his feelings of guilt,

"I'm sorry about that". Holding his gaze on her vibrant eyes, Nick sat fixated and quite unsure of what to say or do next. Even in her flowery pyjamas, he found her captivating. So much so that for a second he considered confessing his feelings for her right there and then.

If she were wearing that figure hugging red dress- the same one that she wore on their 'date' before heading off to do the business with Sam, he would never have even considered the thought. Seeing her that night only reminded Nick that he could never end up with a girl like her. She looked so stunning and drew the eyes of all the young men (even the ones who looked to be on a date themselves) in that disgustingly expensive place towards her. And Nick? Well, he was dressed in his usual casual attire and could only respond to the sight in front of him with a remark about her usually looking like a loft troll. Which of course, wasn't what he really thought. While eating their soup, Jess admitted that the dress was actually borrowed from Cece and that she would never wear something so figure hugging in a million years. After asking why she bothered, Jess only replied, 'Sam likes this kind of look on a woman'. This response made Nick want to grab Jess by the arms and shake her into some sense. Why is she dating this clown?, he thought. Why would he want to change the way she looks? And more importantly, why is she letting him?

Thinking back to the date, Nick became relieved at the fact that Jess felt comfortable enough around him that she could be herself. At least he was a generally nicer guy than Sam. Although, he was certain that Jess would soon attract the attention of another guy within a few weeks and that maybe that next guy could be_ it_. Even though he continuously told himself that he would never be good enough for her, a part of him also wanted every other guy out there to stay away. He pondered for a moment, maybe he wasn't such a nice guy after all. No. She would never want to be with him. A low earning, scruffy bartender with a very apparent anger problem.

Snapping back to the present situation, Nick found Jess still staring at him with her amused expression and for a moment, the two single (Nick assumed that the slap he received from Amelia pretty much confirmed their split), friends failed to realise Schmidt and Winston entering the lounge.

"Alright you ready?" Letting go of the ice pack and forcing himself off the couch, Nick positioned himself between his two male roommates. Throughout the journey home, it was decided that a suitable punishment for his uncontrollable violent outburst would be that Jess simply hits him back. Nick didn't mind so much, as long as it made her feel a little better about the whole thing. Taking a quick swig from his beer bottle (like it would even make a difference to the pain), Nick braced himself.

"Jess. Let's make this right". Nick couldn't help but think about how adorable she looked carefully preparing her fist to be sure she didn't break any fingers. It was obvious she had never thrown a punch before and he was certainly glad that he would be the first, and probably the last one to experience it. Everybody who knew Jess well, knew that she was far from a violent person.

After several seconds, Jess' lips slowly curved into a smile, obviously entertained by how stupid Nick looked. Looking to the ground, she chuckled,

"I can't do this". Breathing a sigh of relief, Nick beamed at Jess secretly knowing that she would never have gone through with it, just like the time she stopped that Ménage à Trois before things got too heated. She was simply too nice of a person to do something like that on purpose. She didn't even like it when she stepped on an ant on the sidewalk. Punching a person was on a whole other level.

"I'm glad you're you. Cause Jess Day could-" Nick had jerked backwards by the time his brain processed what had happened. She had cleverly fooled him. His nose felt like it was floating off his face.

"Ow! Mother of...dammit!"

Not a bad shot Jessica Day, he thought while clutching his nose in discomfort.

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**Eeeek I hope this was a good start. As you can see, this is was set during the episode. The remaining chapters will be about what we don't see. That's where it all really begins ;) **


	2. Small Gesture

**It's been a little while! I have actually been writing chapter two ever since I published the first, I've just been procrastinating as usual. Anyway, I'd like to thank you all for all of the positive responses so far, I really wasn't expecting you all to like it so much! I'm not entirely sure the direction this story is going in as I'm literally making it up as I type but I'm definitely going to continue so it eventually reaches a conclusion. So I'm going to take things kinda slow and just let things naturally fall into place instead of forcing poor Nick to let all of his feelings slip in one chapter.**

**I actually forgot to mention when posting the first chapter that I'm from England so there is a chance that I may have used different words or spellings from what you're used to. It's not a mistake, just my Britishness peeking through.**

**So anyway, enjoy!**

**_Disclaimer_: I do not own New Girl but I wish I did because I would probably be a lot richer.**

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**Chapter 2- Small Gesture**

It had been about an hour since Jess had gotten her sweet revenge on Nick. Although his nose wasn't broken, it sure hurt like Hell and the side was beginning to turn the same colour as Jess' cheek. Schmidt and Winston had resorted to their rooms leaving the two poor injured souls on the couch with the TV softly humming in the background. Neither were really paying attention to the screen but it was definitely less awkward than sitting in silence.

This was one of Nick's favourite things to do. When he and Jess were alone, they didn't have to be actively in conversation, although Jess would always be the one to initiate it eventually, mostly with a song about the state of Nick's turtle face which he was never aware that he made. Every now and then, Nick would glance to his left to see Jess' reactions to what they were watching. 'The Walking Dead' was the most entertaining of all to Nick, seeing her flinch and bury her face into a cushion every time a knife was launched into a zombie's head. On more than one occasion, Nick imagined how it would feel if he replaced the cushion. If it were his shoulder that she chose to protect her from the gory images. His thoughts about these 'what if' situations would sometimes be so intense that he would feel the possible warmth of her face through his shirt, the soothing feeling of her soft curls on his stubble or the grip of her petite hands around his waist. It made him want to go back to the night of Schmidt's 'Danger' party where he comforted Jess while she quietly sobbed by his side. Even though he took no pleasure in seeing her cry, hearing her bright laugh piercing through the silent school parking lot after his pitiful attempt at being mean, made up for all of it. He remembered placing his arm firmly around her small frame and gently rubbing his thumb in lazy circles on her shoulder while she lolled her head to the side to meet him. They had remained that way for at least an hour. Not ever saying a word. They had never been so close. It was one of the best nights of his life. What frustrated him, was that there was no evidence to suggest that she felt the same way. Either that, or he was completely oblivious to it all.

"Your turn.", Jess interrupted his train of thought with her hand offering the icepack which was now just becoming room temperature.

"Oh, already? Thanks." Before he could take it from her, Jess quickly snatched her hand back in protest.

"Actually...here." Watching her in confusion, Jess stretched out to grab the cushion next to her. Nick remembered the day he came home a few weeks before from work to see the brown leather of the sofa completely concealed with luminous cushions. Some covered in stitches which looked like the product of a kindergarten art project; others had tassels the size of a horses behind, and some looked like something his Grandmother would own. He knew right away that this was the work of Jess. Jess and her attempt to make the place more her own. He thought it was understandable. A girl as vivid as Jess just couldn't live in a world full of muted ageing leather and beige artless walls. Although he and the other guys were against it to begin with, he had to admit that their loft actually seemed more like a home now. He just wasn't so sure if it was the furnishings that did this, or the girl who put them there.

After plumping the cushion out, Jess straightened her legs so they were resting on the coffee table, accidentally knocking a polka dot coaster on the floor in the process which yes, was another one of her many additions.

"Come here then!" Jess laughed patting the cushion that she had just placed on her lap. Feeling himself going red, and blinking more times than would be considered normal in such a short time span, Nick stuttered,

"Wha-what-no-I umm...I don't really need a foot rub." He couldn't remember a time when he felt so tongue tied from such a small gesture.

"No dummy, your head! Put your head here and I'll do it for you. It'll just be easier than passing it back and forth all the time that's all." Jess shrugged making it seem like no big deal at all; she was right. It wasn't. Not to most people anyway. But for Nick, he felt like he did when his first girlfriend held his hand. A small act sure, but nevertheless it was nice knowing that someone wanted to be close to him even if it just meant the interlocking of fingers.

Cautiously, Nick shuffled over and attempted to casually lay his head down onto Jess' lap. 'No big deal...means nothing.' he chanted over and over again in his head. Feeling Jess rest the icepack on his bruise, Nick looked up to see that she had turned her attention to the the TV. Without making it too obvious, he lingered on her face a little while longer taking in the sight above him. Her hair was messy from the numerous times she had to adjust her zombie wig and her eye makeup was slightly smudged due to leftover face paint which hadn't quite come off properly. His eyes travelled down to her lips which were in their natural pout. People had always commented so much on how lovely Jess' eyes were, (which he agreed with) that she never got compliments about any other part of herself. But Nick had always liked Jess' lips. Especially how naturally pink they were and the way the bottom pursed out slightly when she got mad. He let out a defeated sigh which must have been louder than he anticipated as Jess suddenly looked down to meet his gaze. Obviously unaware with how long he had been staring at her, Jess broke the silence,

"So...why is there only one icepack anyway?" Nick was relieved at the fact that she didn't question why he wasn't also watching the TV. Turning his head away from her he pretended to be interested in the Halloween movie that was playing,

"Oh uhh, Schmidt threw all the others down the garbage disposal after he found out that I had left them on his bed to melt to make it seem like he had wet himself during the night."

"I thought that was what the jug was for?"

"I couldn't go. Water was my second option." 'Well done Nick', he thought crossly. 'Way to go talking about the emptiness of your bladder. Real smooth.' To his surprise, Jess erupted into laughter at his response smiling down at him with her eyes crinkled with amusement,

"Wow Nick, maybe you should think your pranks through a little better next time. Either that, or you're not drinking enough fluids mister." Turning again towards her, Nick matched her smile and they both grinned at his foolishness. Nick couldn't help but glance back down to her lips now curved upwards. Her face completely changed when she smiled. It was something he saw nearly daily thanks to her optimistic attitude, however sometimes he felt like she forced it, maybe to make herself feel better about certain things, and most definitely to cheer up one of the guys. That was something that she never failed in. All it took for him were a batch of her homemade cookies and quick grin and his day instantly improved. In fact he was so enthralled with her smile that he failed to realise that she was lightly stroking the side of his forehead with her thumb, the icepack now by her side. Swallowing thickly, he nervously continued to smile up at her in silence while she gently made her way to his hair, making intricate patterns with her fingers as she did so. If he wasn't worrying so much about controlling his feelings, he would have happily drifted off to sleep in the hope that he would wake up with them both sitting in the same place. Then, they would both eat breakfast together pretending like nothing had happened but every now and then catching each others eye and giggling like idiots because they secretly knew that they both wanted to do the exact same thing the following night.

After a while, both smiles had gradually turned back down until they were both just looking at each other with a slight smirk, like when you reach the end of a conversation at a party with a stranger and don't quite know what to do next. However, Jess certainly wasn't a stranger and Nick knew full well what he wanted to do.

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**aaaaand that will do for now. I'll torture you all with waiting for the next chapter ;)**


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